


Hammer Lane

by 3rdgenderfromthesun



Series: Truckers Verse [6]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Stiles Stilinski, Angst, Divorce, Gender or Sex Swap, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Incest, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Major Character Injury, Omega Derek Hale, spoilers in the tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2019-01-23 15:19:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12510304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3rdgenderfromthesun/pseuds/3rdgenderfromthesun
Summary: Stiles woke up to ruin on the side of the road, but it was nothing compared to what awaited him in the hospital. Derek is a changed man, and Stiles may have a larger fight for his freedom on his hands than he'd ever expected.





	1. Chapter 1

Hammer Lane – fast lane

Large Car – fancy truck

Motion Lotion – gas

PREVIOUSLY…

IN BEAR CAVE: Reid needs more from his pack, so after trying to find him a mate and failing Hotch offers to satisfy his baser urges. Reid is far too attached, and when Reid’s heat accidentally gets triggered and he confesses his love for Hotch the man denies him and ends their relationship. Reid decides to experiment, but when he shares his dalliances with his chatty brother he finds out Derek has been in a terrible accident and is in a coma.

IN EJECTION: TW for rape and incest. Derek wakes from a truck accident to find himself in an alternate dimension where his other self was the catalyst to destroying the lives of every person in Beacon Hills via a sex slave ring run by his uncle. He finds that his mate has been forcibly bred by Peter into baring two children and has been left a bitter, angry, husk of the man he loves. He’s also a powerful druid who just might be able to get Derek back… for the ridiculous price of a night of feeling cherished and loved in his arms. When Derek finally gets back to his mate he finds that Dark Stiles has managed to send the children with him for safekeeping. (not all plot points from Ejection will be utilized as it is an AU of this story line).

 

“Der!” Stiles called, “Pulling in for some motion lotion, you need eats?”

Derek groaned and rolled over, pushing himself upright. He was enjoying getting adequate sleep again. This was Stiles’ first run with Derek in nearly a year. Stiles had been working in Californian politics for two years before that, doing less and less runs while Derek kept at them more for the routine. Before _that_ Stiles had run the business as well, but he’d turned it over to Isaac and Cora so he could focus on politics. They were approaching their fifteen-year anniversary, which meant Stiles’ heat was coming up fast. Stiles needed Derek to sate his body, but Derek was feeling less than loving at the moment.

The alpha pushed himself up to his feet and glared out their front window. Stiles smiled back at him cheerfully, but his smile slid off his face when he saw Derek’s glower and noted his ‘real’ silence. The one that meant he was beyond disgusted with Stiles.

“What?” Stiles asked, “What did I do?”

“I’m not mad at you,” Derek growled.

“Yeah, sure,” Stiles replied sarcastically.

“I’m mad at… everything,” Derek grumbled, “And I need to shit.”

“Okay…” Stiles watched Derek climb out of the truck and head towards the rest stop, but he didn’t follow.

Derek wasn’t worried about Stiles’ safety anymore. Stiles had lived for nearly 11 months without Derek, bound in an expensive and comfortable chastity belt while he pursued his career with a packmate pretending to hold his keys. They talked on the phone every day, but Stiles did most of the talking in their relationship and always had. Derek was feeling neglected, but he had known that Stiles would be busy with his career. They’d had ten years of near constant companionship, then partial separation due to his first limping steps into politics, and then Stiles had finally managed to go from licking stamps to running for offices. Those offices had been part time work, but it had only been a skip, hop, and a jump into the next level. There were no laws against Omegas running for office… or there hadn’t been until Stiles started making his move. Now there were three different bills headed to the House in an attempt to stop him and any other upstarts. They wouldn’t manage. The brilliant young man was headed for Washington and Derek was being left behind.

When Derek returned Stiles was inside the cab unbuckling his chastity belt so he could sleep while Derek drove to their vacation getaway. Derek watched him work the combination in his belt; a combination Derek didn’t even know. He’d never asked and Stiles hadn’t offered it up. Long gone was the painful construct he’d worn as a teenager. This was a proper mesh made to resist cutting. It would significantly delay someone from raping him if he were ever in an unsafe position again. Unfortunately, Derek was so very far away from him normally that Stiles owning a fancy belt was pointless. He couldn’t rush in to save Stiles. Not when he was hundreds of miles away. He had to rely on a pack mate to guard Stiles as he ran for congress, and the fact a combination, dildo, and a bodyguard had replaced him was weighing on his self esteem.

_My choice. I said I’d stay by his side while he rose to power. Instead I left. Went about my routes. Needed my truck. Needed the road. Needed the routine. Couldn’t make a new one with him. I don’t belong in politics. I felt stifled in offices. I could have been his beefy bodyguard, being his lover by night and his supportive, but silent husband by day. Instead I had to get insecure and feel threatened by him stepping into power. I’m insignificant in the wake of my mate. He can do so much. All I can do is fuck, and that’s all I’m good for now. This is what we’re reduced to. Yearly conjugal visits. I wonder when that will end? How long until Stiles meets someone else he’s compatible with in his field? Someone better for him?_

“Hey,” Stiles glanced up at Derek as he stood naked and beautiful in Derek’s cab. It used to be _their_ cab. He didn’t maintain eye contact for long, “If you want to go back we can. I’m sure I can get through a heat alone. Or I could take my meds and skip it completely. It’s safe to go five years on the new medication.”

Derek’s heart ached, “I don’t want to miss our heat.”

“What _do_ you want?” Stiles asked.

Derek glanced out their windows. They were still at the Diesel pumps and Derek needed to get out of their way.

“We’ll talk later.”

“This is going to be our last heat together, isn’t it?” Stiles asked softly.

“What?” Derek grumbled.

Stiles put on a robe and walked towards the front, sitting in the passenger seat and buckling in.

“Two hours,” Derek reminded him.

“Yeah, I know,” Stiles huffed, “I fought to keep the sleep and driving laws the same in California, remember?”

“So we wouldn’t be run ragged,” Derek nodded.

“Exactly,” Stiles spoke softly, “What’s going on, Derek?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re… angry. Always,” Stiles said softly, “I just want to know if I should be… if I should brace myself for…”

“For what?” Derek asked as he pulled out of the refueling station and onto the main road.

“For us being… Fuck, I can’t even say it,” Stiles sniffled and Derek sighed.

Derek got quickly into the fast lane, what trucker’s called the hammer lane, and did his best to stay focused on the road and what was at the end of it. Stiles’ heat. Stiles his for days at a time, completely focused on Derek and what only an alpha could give him. What Derek hoped his usually sex-crazed omega hadn’t gotten from someone else while they’d been apart…

“Is there someone else?” Derek demanded.

“What?” Stiles was red faced with misery rather than guilt when Derek glanced over, “Someone _else?_ Derek, you’re my _mate_. I know my mom is messed up, but come on; I’m still a werewolf. I’m not going to _cheat_ on you. You’ve been distant for two years now, Derek. We barely talk. We don’t touch each other. I mean… it’s obvious that this is going downhill, but I’m not the one being unfaithful here.”

“I’m not fucking cheating on you,” Derek growled.

“Maybe not, but you’re still breaking a promise you made,” Stiles spoke softly, “And it’s hurting me. It’s hurting _us._ ”

Derek was silent and Stiles sighed in frustration, “I brought divorce papers.”

Derek’s stomach clenched.

“It takes two weeks for the application to go through,” Stiles continued, “First you pick up the pills at the pharmacy and they dissolve the bond overnight. It’s made to be taken right after a heat, so… so we could fuck one last time if you want to.”

“I don’t want to fuck,” Derek growled.

“Okay,” Stiles acknowledged, sniffling miserably, “That’s a little surprising, but I guess a clean break is best. Well, that makes it easier. We can take them when they first come in and-“

“That’s not what I meant,” Derek replied, shifting gears as someone merged in front of him a bit too close. Derek blinked a few times to clear the tears from his eyes, “I’d never send you back to your dad.”

“I’m not the only werewolf on Capital Hill, Derek,” Stiles laughed lightly, “They’d notice I was unmated, and the longer we’re apart the less I smell like yours. Even the humans will notice, eventually. I don’t want you staying with me just because you know I need you. We can break this off while my dad is still young and I can find someone else before he gets too old to care for me.”

Derek let out a slow breath to steady himself, “This isn’t something we should be talking about right now. You know that before and after your heats I’m more possessive. If you really want to talk about our relationship than we need to wait until a month or so has passed.”

Stiles nodded, “The drugs have to be taken within a week of heat. I’d have talked to you about it before you became moody, but we _haven’t seen each other_.”

“And whose fault is-“ Derek stopped himself and blew out a hard breath, “Okay. Fine. I honestly… I actually have been thinking divorce… when I’m not near heat.”

Stiles sobbed again, pulling his hand away to cover his mouth as he began to openly weep. Derek felt like shit and every instinct in his heart was telling him to wrap his arms around Stiles and comfort his mate, but his mind was screaming that his this was exactly what he’d been afraid of.

“Well,” Stiles choked out, “I suspected as much. I mean, I’m sorry I’m a wreck right now. I’m not trying to make you feel guilty. It’s crossed my mind, too. We were never a perfect fit and while we made it work, and fuck, I do love you, it’s not like there weren’t other options.”

“Other options?” Derek replied, gripping the steering wheel as rage coursed through him.

“Easy, big guy,” Stiles laughed bitterly, “I met him in passing and he wasn’t really an interest to me. Just another guy who doesn’t smell _bad_ , you know? Until the bond is dissolved I won’t be actually lusting after anyone. I figure I can find another mate and you’ve never really needed one.”

Derek frowned miserably, “We’re just talking about this, Stiles. It isn’t decided.”

“I know, but we’ve _both_ been thinking it and frankly my dad isn’t getting any younger. I don’t want to end up in a facility. I’d like the freedom to seek a new mate myself.”

“YOU’RE NOT SEEKING ANY-“

Derek stopped himself from mid-scream and mid-swerve. He was shaking with rage at the idea of his beautiful Omega in the arms of another. The problem was he’d been away from him so often that it was probably best, and while a part of him knew this, his instincts were screaming at him to make sure his mate was claimed and _stayed claimed_. He pulled off onto the next exit and into a gas station, taking slow, deep breaths while Stiles sat silently beside him.

“ _Now_ you figure out you need to shut the hell up?” Derek snapped.

“I’m used to talking things out, Derek,” Stiles spoke softly, “It’s who I am.”

“I _can’t_ right now,” Derek reminded him firmly, “I’m tired and angry and horny as fuck. My base needs are overwhelming my common sense and you know what? I’m going back to bed.”

“What, but…?” Stiles stammered, “We have to get to the hotel!”

“You forget how to drive a truck?” Derek snapped, “You’ll be fine.”

“I… Okay…” Stiles replied miserably as Derek headed into the back.

Stiles didn’t dare to climb into Roscoe’s cab to get dressed again. He just slid into the driver’s seat in his robe and started the engine up again. The rumble soothed Derek’s anxious nerves. This was his _home_ , and even with Stiles far away from him he’d managed to make sure to send Derek some dirty clothes to keep his scent nearby. Derek had done the same, mailing Stiles a shirt a week no matter where he was. Stiles would mail them to the depots so they’d catch up with Derek wherever he was. The scent soothed him. He’d sleep with Stiles’ stuff in his arms like a toddler with a blankie. It shamed him that he loved Stiles to the exclusion of his own happiness, but Stiles was right. Derek had broken his promise. He’d decided he couldn’t stand by his side and had left his mate. He didn’t deserve the beautiful omega, and he didn’t know how to get the last year- two according to Stiles- with him back.

Eventually the patter of rain, swish of the windshield wipers, sway of the cab, and rumble of the engine soothed Derek to sleep, and while he might have awoken during the accident he would never remember it due to the massive head trauma suffered when he was crushed between Roscoe and a tree.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N If you didn’t read Ejection due to the heavy warning tags, please be advised that I will be referring back to it from time to time. It’s not necessary to have read it to read this story since it’s an AU. I won’t mention anything too triggery, but it will refer back to non-con events and incest. NOT DESCRIBED. I did not put a cheating tag because Derek did NOT cheat on Stiles.

 

CONTENT WARNING FOR SIGNIFICANT INJURY/GORE THIS CHAPTER ONLY

 

Stiles woke up with pain shooting through his body. He felt weak and disoriented. Something was caking his eyes and water was dripping all over his body. He had no idea where he was, but his first instinct was to reach down to grope his crotch in search of his chastity belt. It wasn’t on. He wasn’t even _dressed_.

_I’ve been beaten and raped. Everyone was right. I never should have left my mate and gone into politics. I’ll die with my reputation destroyed and Derek won’t even be allowed to mourn me. Will he even mourn?_

Stiles pried his eyes open, fully intending to tell off whoever had violated him, but all he saw was the night sky above him. Clouds were slowly drifting past the moon and the scent of petrichor was high in the air. It had been raining and a glimmer drew his attention to the side.

Flashing lights. A turn signal. Smoke.

_Roscoe!_

_DEREK!_

“Derek!” Stiles croaked, pushing at the ground.

Stiles sat up in the bracken on the side of the road with a piece of metal imbedded in his thigh. He jerked it out without considering a major artery location or if it would heal fast enough. He was moving on instinct and not all instincts revolved around self-preservation. It was dark and raining, the water washing the blood from his hair as his head injury rapidly healed. He struggled to his feet, pain lancing through his body as he scrabbled at his blood-and-mud-covered-eyes so he could see. Glass crunched beneath his bare feet as he reached the blacktop and cast about frantically, searching the wreck with disoriented senses.

“Derek?!” Stiles croaked out, the word coming out as an almost scream of terror, “DEREK!!”

The truck was on its side, the wreckage far from where Stiles had landed. He couldn’t recall the accident, but he knew that was common. That didn’t stop him from wracking his brain for an answer. Had he been driving? Had Derek? Had he fallen asleep? Had it been a load of Dead Head, and the accident purely a statistical likelihood based on the sharp turns on the way out of Beacon Hills and the rainy conditions? Was there another vehicle involved? Stiles reached Roscoe’s front and smelled blood, balking instantly. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t find Derek’s mangled body somewhere inside or underneath. Not alone. Stiles reeled back from the shredded metal and screamed for help at the top of his lungs, hands dragging along his hair and gripping the back of his neck. An omega keen broke the silence of the night, shrill and powerful. It would call any alpha or beta in the vicinity to his side to help him in his distress. They’d just left Beacon Hills and an awkward visit with his dad. His pack was nearby. They’d get to him. They would help. Scott would make it right.

_This can’t be happening._

_This can’t be happening._

_It isn’t real._

_Derek!_

_WAKE ME UP!_

“Stiles?” Scott’s voice broke through Stiles’ terror, “Holy shit, Stiles!”

“Scott!” Stiles wailed, reaching out and making grabby hands at his best friend.

Scott jumped a tire and ran towards him, pulling Stiles against himself and holding him tightly. Stiles was sobbing and shaking, one hand pointing towards the wreck of his home and marriage.

“D-Derek…”

“Oh no,” Liam breathed.

Stiles didn’t know Liam well. He was one of Scott’s packmates and the first person he’d ever turned. Pack was pack though, so he didn’t protest when Scott told Liam to hold Stiles and pressed the shaking omega into the beta’s arms. Liam rubbed his chin over Stiles’ head, marking him in order to sooth him. _Pack. Pack will take care of you. Pack will protect you. You will be safe._

 _Even without your alpha_.

“Derek?” Scott spoke softly.

Stiles held his breath, stilling his sobs and extending his hearing to find a heartbeat. It was just a flutter. Derek wasn’t speaking, but his heart was still going.

“Hey, Derek,” Scott spoke softly again, “Stay with me, buddy. Stay with me. I’m calling an ambulance, okay? _Stay with me._ ”

_This is a nightmare. A fucking nightmare._

“Dereeeek!” Stiles wailed miserably, unable to contain himself any longer, “Derek please! I didn’t mean it! I wanted you to yell at me! Tell me I was stupid! Stop hanging out in limbo and _live_ with me again! Please, Derek! Please! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me, Derek! PLEASE!”

Liam was holding Stiles back, trying to keep the frantic omega from reaching Derek and possibly doing him harm by shaking the _literal_ life out of him. Luckily he was far stronger than the omega and once the ambulance arrived they simply sedated him and gave him what little peace he could be granted.

XXX

Hours.

Derek was in surgery for _hours_. Stiles was wrapped up and told to heal himself but his misery at his mate’s condition was stopping him from allowing it. He was alive and not bleeding, but he wasn’t _healing_ , so they stitched him up in an attempt to trigger his abilities. It failed. Stiles wanted Derek and not a word from Scott or the warm embrace of Allison could get him to do more than stare off into space and _wait._

Derek had been pinned between a tree and Roscoe’s nose. What little Stiles had seen had been absolutely devastating. He’d been hamburger. No matter how much Stiles had screamed and howled for his mate the alpha’s eyes hadn’t even fluttered open. Stiles wasn’t convinced he’d been alive even though he’d heard the heartbeat flutter occasionally between the noise of the emergency personnel and his own hysterics. Finally he’d just been numb and waiting. Waiting to be told he was being handed over to his father. Waiting to feel their bond break. Waiting for his heart to finish being crushed beneath the truck with Derek. Scott was his secondary alpha and apparently Derek had him listed as emergency contact after his dad, so Scott was sitting with him rather than being forced to return home.

To his absolute shock Derek survived surgery but he was still unconscious when the staff finally came to talk to Stiles. They wouldn’t let Scott in at first, and there were odd glances towards him. Finally they asked who Scott was and he explained that his pack had two alphas, both connected to Stiles from childhood. Stiles’ father had arrived shortly after and the doctor finally sat down to talk to Stiles.

“Mr. Stilinski-Hale, were you and Derek Hale legally and chemically bonded?” The doctor asked.

“Were?” Stiles asked, voice trembling.

“He’s still alive,” The doctor assured quickly, “But he’s very injured and died twice on the operating table. I ask about your mated status only because he no longer smells bonded. This happens occasionally when someone’s been dead for a brief period of time, but usually it affects _both_ parties and you still smell bonded. I may need you to identify him just in case we have the wrong person. With most accidents memory loss is fairly common. It’s possible you picked up a passenger or hitchhiker and that isn’t your mate in that room at all.”

“I saw him when the ambulance arrived. It was him.”

“Sometimes when someone is distressed-“

“If it’s not him than where is he?” Stiles choked, gripping his father’s hand tightly and losing his battle against tears.

“We have the police searching the wreckage right now. They want to figure out what happened and they’ll look to see if anyone else was there as well. In the mean time he’s been cleaned up from surgery so let’s take a look and see, hm?”

Stiles was a bit shaky as he was wheeled from his room to Derek’s. He didn’t know what to hope for. Either Derek was in that room and had somehow severed their bond or he was still out in the cold, wet night. Possibly dead. Definitely injured and alone. Stiles was taken into the room and brought to the edge of the bed. The person before him had Derek’s haircut, Derek’s eyebrows, but that was about all that was visibly recognizable. The rest was a mess of trauma. Scratches from glass across his face weren’t healing because the deeper injuries had to be cared for first. His body would heal from the inside out, and the internal damage was extensive. His body was a giant bruise and the smell of bone, blood, and sour medicine was high in the air, but beneath it was the indisputable scent of… _mate_. What stilled Stiles in his tracks was something the doctors who wouldn’t know Derek would not pick up. Derek wasn’t just unbonded now. He was an unbonded _omega._ Somewhere in the depths of Derek’s charts was his original omega status. The doctors must have assumed the alpha marking was a clerical or insurance error due to Stiles and Derek being an omega-omega couple. That happened sometimes, from what Stiles understood. One partner got labeled an alpha or beta by accident. So somehow his mate had revoked their mated status and _switched genders_ again. Stiles couldn’t find it in him to care. He’d reaffirm their bond- assuming he could convince Derek to do so- just as soon as his mate was healthy again. His dad could stand in as their alpha guardian and Stiles would either leave politics or bring Derek with him. Whatever it took to make it work, because suddenly his career wasn’t half as important as the man in the bed.

“It’s him,” Stiles breathed, reaching out for his hand before jerking his own back. He couldn’t touch his hand. It was not only occupied by an IV, it was swollen and held in place with stints so it could heal whenever his body got done fixing organs and moved on to bones.

“You’re sure?”

“I told you; I’d know him anywhere in any state. He’s my _mate_ , even if he doesn’t want to be right now. My dad is the alpha responsible for us, right dad?”

Stiles gave his father the sharp glance that was the age-old Stilinski look for ‘lie and follow my lead’.

“Yeah,” Stilinksi stated simply, and gave Stiles the narrow-eyed look that meant ‘you’re explaining yourself the second there aren’t witnesses’.

“Well, that’s a weight off my shoulders,” The man replied, “An unbonded omega in the hospital is alarming enough, but to have no idea who he was… I’ll bring you the paperwork to update his chart. I’m sure when he wakes up you two will be able to bond again easily.”

Stiles stopped him and admitted, “We were fighting. We were discussing divorce, but it hadn’t happened yet. He… he’s maybe just… moved on? From me, I mean?”

The doctor frowned deeply, “It is possible, I’m afraid. My concern is that while mates being present generally aids in healing, if he was ready to end the relationship and you were _not_ than your presence could be distressing for both of you.”

Stiles took in a slow, shuddering breath to steady himself and nodded his understanding, “He’s still a packmate. He’d never stop being pack. We weren’t fighting like _angry_ fighting we were… my… my career was destroying our relationship.”

Stiles fought down the tears. He’d let it get to this point. He would be Derek’s friend and support him through recovery if that was all he wanted. If Derek deigned to speak with him again than Stiles wouldn’t take the beautiful man for granted again. He’d leave politics forever and beg Derek to claim him again.

“Well, if he shows signs of distress you’ll have to leave,” The man replied, “That was your alpha in the hallway?”

“Yes,” Stiles replied, “Scott. My- _our_ \- best friend growing up.”

“Then we’ll send him in to-“

Derek taking a shaky, rattling breath in and jolting awake, cut off the doctor’s reply. The scent of fear permeated the room and Stiles jolted forward to lean over him.

“Hey, baby,” Stiles soothed, “Hey, it’s okay. Stay calm. I’m here, honey. Everything’s-“

“Fuck did I tell you,” Derek wheezed, “About flirting with me, lizard?”

“Wh-what did you call me?” Stiles stammered in alarm.

“Peter will fuck you up for this,” Derek panted, trying to sit up and failing amidst all the splints covering his body.

“He’ll slit all your throats,” Derek whispered, eyes flickering around the room, “You think you’re his favorite? You’re _nothing_.”

“Peter is _not_ an option for me,” Stiles stated firmly, “You’re my future, Derek. I love you and I’ll be with you through this-“

Derek laughed weakly, “You’re a fucking joke you filthy whore.”

Derek’s eyes widened and his cheek twitched beneath the bandages. The doctor surged forward to jab a syringe into his IV slot, but before he did so Derek’s eyes fluttered and he went still, this time with one eye mostly open and the other sagging shut. Stiles froze in horror, thinking Derek had just died, and the machines started roaring.

“Get him out of here!” The doctor ordered, “He doesn’t come back!”

“N-no!” Stiles choked, bursting into tears as a nurse gestured wildly for him to leave.

John dragged Stiles out of the room, holding him as he wept brokenly.

“That wasn’t my Derek,” Stiles whispered in horror, “Dad, that wasn’t _my Derek.”_

“I’ve never heard him talk to you like that before,” John stated in shock.

“So it isn’t-?” Scott began, reaching for Stiles instinctively to comfort the omega he considered his brother.

“No, it’s him, but he’s got some sort of brain trauma or something!” Stiles argued, “That’s not how he acts! Oh my gods, what if he died at the end. He’ll _never_ forgive himself if those were his last words to me!”

Scott gave Stiles a baffled look, but before he could reply the doctor headed out into the hallway. His face pale as he rubbed sanitizer into his hands, “We’re about to take him in for a few tests.”

“He’s alive?!” Stiles choked.

“We’re getting little motor and eye activity,” The doctor replied, “I’ll be honest with you, we’re taking him in to see if his brain is still active. It looks like he’s shutting down and there’s relatively little we can do once a werewolf stops fighting internally.”

Stiles nodded silently and prepared to wait by the bed in silence for the next few days as Derek’s werewolf abilities struggled to heal the devastating damage to his body. The doctor, however, took another route and coldly informed Stiles that due to Derek’s reaction Stiles wouldn’t be allowed to return. He’d have to wait at home and they’d provide Scott with information to pass to Stiles as he saw fit. He was officially divorced form Derek, no drugs or paperwork needed. Derek’s werewolf had rejected his mate.

Stiles was given another cursory glance over, one that he sat mute and shocked throughout, and then sent home to mourn his relationship and quite possibly his mate.


	3. Chapter 3

It was the soft, high-pitched sobs that woke him up. He stirred, recalled with a moment of clarity and horror what had happened to them, and shook himself enough to reach out for Derek. However, his mate was still at the hospital and… possibly not his mate… or even an alpha. Whoever was crying, it didn’t sound like Derek. Stiles glanced around in confusion and found his father and Scott were both whispering to each other in alarm. The sound was coming from a phone. Scott was taking over as alpha of the Hale pack and had called Cora. _Pregnant_ Cora, who was an emotional mess and had already lost most of her fucking family. She shouldn’t be being told over the phone. Stiles or someone should be flying out to her!

He pushed himself up further on the couch and looked around himself. A group of people were in his father’s living room and Scott was with them. Stiles vaguely recognized packmates who he had little contact with, but when Scott saw he was up he passed the phone to his _mother_ and hurried over to him.

“What happened?” Stiles whispered as Scott knelt down beside the couch. He was bracing himself for the news, but Scott was oblivious as usual.

“You were exhausted,” Scott told him, taking his hand gently, “You basically passed out in the car.”

“To _Derek?”_

“Oh, um,” Scott gave Stiles a saddened glance up before staring back down at their hands, “He’s… Stiles, he’s in a coma. It’s bad. They’re not sure he’s going to wake up.”

“Jesus,” Stiles breathed, shaking his head and pushing the blankets aside, “I have to get back to him. I have to talk to him. He might hear me and wake up!”

“They’re… they’re not going to let you do that.”

“They fucking have to!”

“They’re not recognizing your mating, Stiles,” Scott whispered, “There are reporters outside, but we’re holding them off and your lawyer is here keeping things under wraps. So far there’s nothing anyone can report because of, like, hospital laws or whatever, but-“

“Fuck the press!” Stiles choked out, “Fuck the laws! Fuck my lawyer- no wait, not her, she’s basically Derek’s Other Mother. But fuck everyone else, including you taking over _Derek’s pack!_ My mate needs me!”

“Stiles,” Scott gave his hand a gentle squeeze, “He’s not your mate anymore and… dude, isn’t that what you wanted?”

“No. No,” Stiles shook his head, “No, I wanted him to come around! I wanted things to go back to the way they were!”

“I don’t think they’re going to,” Scott replied, voice so soft Stiles could barely hear it, “Listen, I hate this, but because I’m considered his alpha now and they’re asking me to make decisions. I tried to reach Cora but she’s pregnant and just keeps hanging up on me and… I didn’t want to make a decision without talking to someone first.”

“What… what decision?” Stiles asked, choking on a sob and accepting a tissue from his father as the man sat down beside him on the couch.

“They… they want to take him off the machines and see if it jump-starts him or… or let him…”

Stiles broke down completely, turning to bury his face in his father’s shoulder. The man held him tightly, rocking him gently as Stiles fell apart. He wanted to take it all back. Delete the days- no, the _years_ \- that he’d spent losing Derek. He wanted to take back all the words and the distance. He wanted to take back the very career he’d fought for, but at the moment Stiles was realizing it might be all he had left.


	4. Chapter 4

“Mr. Stilinski! Mr. Stilinski!” A voice called out.

Stiles straightened his spine and faced the press as they swarmed him. He’d borrowed a suit from Scott. It was outdated and ugly, but at least he looked presentable. He couldn’t help but notice they’d altered his name already. Word was getting out, but the press was _mostly_ gagged and they were trying to find ways around it.

“Mr. Stilinski, what happened to your truck?”

“I’m afraid we had an accident,” Stiles replied easily, glad for the soft starter questions, “My memory of the incident is blurry at best. I’m not even sure who was driving or what caused the accident. I suppose the insurance companies will have to figure that out. He was terribly injured and we’re playing the waiting game. Those of you who pray, it would be much appreciated. Any donations that you would like to make as a token can be made to the Hale Education Fund for Impoverished Omegas. I’m sure you’re all familiar with it.”

Stiles turned to leave, ignoring the rest of the questions, but they followed him into the hospital.

“Mr. Stilinski! What condition is _Mr. Hale_ in?”

“What will happen to your career if he dies?”

“Who will hold your keys?”

“Who is holding your keys now?”

“Is it true you were violated?”

“Is it true your husband is secretly an omega?”

“Are you gay?”

“What is your stance on the LGBT+ community?”

The doors slid shut and Stiles tried to tune them all out as he approached the desk with his career-winning political smile. He nodded to the desk, trusting his charisma to get him by. He mentally tallied himself a roll of 18 as she not only let him pass by uncontested but blushed and flirted a bit with a little wave of her fingers.

“Hey! Vote for me! Nov 7th!” Stiles chirped, giving her a wink and a finger gun.

She gushed and giggled and he awarded himself some extra experience points for roll playing the scene so well.

Stiles made it up to the second floor and was a door away when security noticed him. The uniformed guard stood up and barred his way, frowning at Stiles as he grinned up at the ridiculously tall man.

“Hello, how are you… James,” Stiles grinned broadly, hoping this time that the man did _not_ know who he was, “I’m here to visit Derek Hale. I’m a packmate.”

“I know who you are, sir,” The man replied, “And I’m truly sorry, but I can’t let you in.”

“He needs his mate,” Stiles pleaded.

“They have me here because he’s _unmated_ ,” The man gave him a sympathetic look, “I can’t let you in. I’m really sorry. Please don’t make me rough up an omega.”

Scott’s hand on his elbow reminded Stiles that he wasn’t alone, but he sure as hell wasn’t getting his way this time. A part of him wanted to force his way in. He could visualize waving his old baseball bat, braining the gigantic guard, and flying in to get to his beloved’s side. That wasn’t going to happen here. Stiles acknowledged the failed roll of the die and let Scott lead him back out to the flashing cameras that cut like knives in the face of his crumbling reality.


	5. Chapter 5

The car ride back to Scott’s place was made all the more uncomfortable by his brother calling. He’d had an upheaval of his own and started babbling about his lost job and lover, unaware of the parallel in Stiles’ world.

_Except my loss is so much more permanent. My reputation is about to be trashed because of Derek’s weird regression back to an omega, and just wait till people find out I broke the trucker’s labor laws I fucking fought for. Yet none of that compares to losing Derek. I was so blind. I should have made more time for him._

When Stiles broke down his brother was genuinely concerned and listened as Stiles told the full story. He ended up sitting on Scott’s bed, wrapped up in his alpha’s arms just like when they’d been kids. Spencer waited until Stiles’ sobs had calmed a bit before speaking.

“Do you need me to come out there?”

“Honestly?” Stiles sniffled, “I don’t think that will help. I’m surrounded by pack and family right now. What I need is my _mate_. Listen to me, Spence. Fix things with Hotch.”

“What? But you said he-“

“I know what I said, but I was fucking stupid, okay? Nothing replaces your mate. Nothing is worth as much.”

“But-“

“Nothing.”

“I’m just not sure you’re thinking with a clear head here, and he was a _real_ asshole to-“

“Imagine tomorrow without him.”

“Okay. It’s been days, but okay.”

“Now imagine the next week.”

“Um…”

“Next month.”

“…”

“The next _year_.”

“Now multiply that by 100 because we’re werewolves and it takes a fuck ton to kill us and comas are rare.”

“Shit,” Spencer whispered, tone devastated.

“So, yeah,” Stiles replied, “As bad as it is to put up with-“

“No, absolutely not,” Reid stated firmly, doing an about-face so suddenly that Stiles was startled.

“Wh-what?”

“Stiles, I’m sorry for what you’re going through. You’re genuinely hurting right now, and you don’t deserve it, but… all due respect, your husband was absent and cranky. My boss fucked me, sent me on heat, broke his promise to help me through my heat, broke my heart, blamed me for his fucked up emotions, slut shamed me, and basically expected me to go ass up for him because I see him as my mate. What you’re doing in California, that is _so much more important than Derek_.”

“Fuck you!” Stiles choked out.

“It is, Stiles, and I hope you see it in time to salvage it, because you and I have choices but _most omegas don’t_. Most omegas whose mates lose interest in them just slowly whither away in a loveless home with zero rights, until death becomes a better option or they manage to raise a child who loves them despite their fucked up father teaching them to repeat abusive behavior; Most omegas whose mates don’t really want them and end up rejecting them don’t just lose their jobs, they lose their _freedom_. I would be headed to a facility right now if it weren’t for Hotch’s lingering respect for me. Stiles, we have it _good._ What you’re doing is for every omega out there who has had to hide bruises, slaved all day cleaning only to be starved to keep them thin, been forced to breed until they died, and had no fucking choice in the matter. What you’re doing is bigger than you and Derek. It’s bigger than Hotch and I. Yeah, looking at decades of life without the man my nose tells me is my one and only is _horrible_ , but you know what would be worse? Being stuck with him with no defense if he wanted to keep treating me that way.”

Stiles let out a slow breath, nuzzling into Scott where he sat silently, still supportive and giving Stiles the out that most omegas didn’t have. Scott had a wife and kids. He didn’t have to be there giving Stiles what he needed. John had signed responsibility paperwork to keep Stiles OUT of a facility, because his mate unbonding with him was an instant trip to hell for omegas. Scott had stepped up as pack alpha because he was the closest alpha to the original pack leader, but if he hadn’t been an alpha Stiles barely knew might have been in charge of Derek’s legacy. He could initiate a claim on Stiles. Stiles would have the right to refuse, of course, but it would mean going into a state-funded facility where he would be reduced to three squares a day, a small, outdated library, and whatever DVD’s people had donated. Maybe a video game system. Probably not. Just bare essentials and bars on the windows. And for bonded omegas whose partners abused them? No out. No facility. Just eventual death.

“Yeah. You’re right,” Stiles admitted.

“I still hope he wakes up,” Spencer consoled.

“Me, too,” Stiles choked.

“I love you, brother,” Spencer replied softy, “And I’m coming out there. I’m going to help you through this.”

“Thank you, but how? Hotch has your keys and now Derek can’t take them.”

“My little speech to you just reminded me of someone and how much he fucking owes me.”

 


	6. Chapter 6

“Stiles! STILES!” John’s shouts had Stiles jolting upright.

He’d spent the night in his father’s bed like a frightened child, sandwiched between Spencer and his daddy, but his father had apparently woken up at some point and left. He was standing before Stiles with a relieved smile on his face in full uniform.

“Wake up, son. Get dressed. Derek’s awake and he’s asking for you.”

“Wha?!” Stiles rolled over to scramble up, tangled his legs in the sheets, and toppled onto the floor, “WOO HOO! He’s awake!”

Spencer scrambled up with _far_ more grace and helped Stiles with his buttons when his hands were too shaky to manage. The strange older man Spencer had flown in with was silent as he escorted Spencer to the hospital along with Stiles and his father. He’d been introduced as Gideon but he hadn’t done more than hum thoughtfully the entire time he’d been at Stiles’ house. He’d not acted intimate with Spencer but whenever the former FBI agent had looked at him he’s smelled sad.

Stiles practically ran reporters over in his haste to get to Derek. He was frantic to see his mate, especially after having been kept at bay for several days. Stiles had given Scott permission to give the hospital permission to take Derek off of life support, but only because he knew it was what his mate would have wanted. Now he was celebrating that decision. It had kick-started his werewolf healing and he’d managed to get enough going to repair internal organs, including his brain.

Derek was _awake!_

And asking for the mate he’d managed to unbond to during his ordeal, which was honestly a very mixed bag because he might be planning on just getting closure before he went into a facility. Maybe he even wanted Stiles’ help staying out of the facility. He could technically go to Cora for a key holder, but he’d have to be locked up until she could make it to them. He might be asking for Stiles’ dad to escort him down to them, rather than a romantic reunion resulting in an omega-omega pairing and an awkward negotiation for who would be their key holder. Probably his dad. Stiles and Derek together could convince him to retire in order to continue Stiles’ political career or Derek’s trucking career. Well, probably not Derek’s trucking career. His dad would _die_ inside of a truck with the both of them for more than two hours. Stiles’ rambling thoughts were halted by their arrival at Derek’s door and the guard stepping aside with a fond smile.

Stiles practically fell through the hospital room door, staggering to the side of Derek’s bed and casting about for a safe spot to touch his former husband. Derek was one giant bruise still as the more important parts were healed first. One leg was still broken, his left eye was bright red from burst capillaries, and he was covered in bandages. Nowhere looked safe so Stiles just gently laid his hand over Derek’s heart. He resented the fabric between them, but he wouldn’t harm his mate while he was struggling to heal.

“Derek, thank gods, I didn’t-“ Stiles started, but his mate cut him off with a frantic stutter of words that was completely uncharacteristic of him.

“I swear to every god in the sky, I never cheated on you, Stiles.”

“Um…”

“I don’t know what the other me said when he was here, but I love you.”

“You called me a filthy whore, but I figure that was the pain talking,” Stiles teased lightly.

“I love you so, so much and I swear I never slept with Peter, but you kind of did, and I’m not a whore anymore and I still don’t want kids but we _have_ to adopt them. They have nowhere else to go and you’re their _mom_.”

“What kids? I never slept with _Peter!_ Why do you keep saying that? I’m legit going to puke!” Stiles stammered in shocked confusion. He looked to the nurse in alarm, but she was giving him a disgusted look.

“We gave him something for the pain,” A nurse interjected, “But he was talking that way before hand. He keeps asking for children. Says they’re his uncle’s and yours.”

The nurses cold glare had Stiles scowling right back at her, “I think I’d know if it I’d been pregnant and had kids, and I’d sure as hell never cheat on my husband. Especially not with creepy uncle _Peter_.”

“They’re six and three, I think?” Derek struggled, “They’re from the other world, Stiles.”

“Other… other world?” Stiles asked.

“The one where I’m an omega and you’re a druid.”

“Well, shit, that sounds hella cool,” Stiles blinked, “And I have kids with… _Peter_ there?”

“He raped you,” Derek whispered.

“Ew.”

“And you raped me, but that was after.”

“Double ew, and may I add that I don’t think it sounds cool anymore.”

“They need us, Stiles.”

“The… kids?” Stiles asked in confusion.

Derek nodded weakly, “Take my hand. We have to re-bond so that they can accept me as their other dad.”

“Your hands are basically one giant bruise and I don’t think bonding works that way, so…”

“Stiles,” Derek growled, “If you don’t touch me I’m going to crawl out of this bed and re-break everything that’s been healing in an attempt to get your skin on mine.”

“Right. Hand holding. Commencing the hand holding.”

Stiles gently wrapped his long digits around three of Derek’s fingers and a jolt of electric shot through him. For a moment he thought it was the bond re-igniting with a simple touch instead of a fresh claiming bite, but pain pulsing through Stiles’ body and had him doubled over. He was gasping for breath and shaking as a cramp in his ass radiated towards his groin. Stiles howled, the nurse screamed, Derek whimpered, and John started shouting for Melissa. Only Spencer and Gideon remained calm, but their response was to keep anyone from getting to Stiles when he needed his daddy _right away!_ Everything faded to grey, but before Stiles could pass out a pulsing red light flooded the room and a surge of adrenalin had him on his feet and against the wall.

“What… what the hell just happened?” John asked.

Stiles’ father had a hand out, reaching for Stiles but not approaching him. The nurse was on the ground with a bruise forming on her face and fear in her eyes. Spencer and Gideon were just staring at him patiently. Derek was… giggling and the room was still bright red.

“Oh my gods, aliens!” Stiles exclaimed.

“Fixed it,” Derek laughed lightly, “Nobody will ever hurt you again. Put it where it belonged.”

“What did you do?” Stiles demanded.

The room was still red and it took a while to fade, but as it did something dawned on Stiles. His body felt different. He’d felt off for the time Derek was unconscious, but he’d assumed that was the trauma pushing his heat back. Now he wasn’t so sure. Stiles staggered around the bed on awkward legs, pushed open the room’s bathroom door, and clutched the sink as he stared into the mirror. Hair had bloomed across his chin, far thicker than most omegas obtained. Stiles hadn’t shaved that morning, but in the space of seconds it had thickened considerably.

Stiles undid his flies and stared into his underwear in shock. His facial hair wasn’t all that had thickened. Stiles fastened his pants again and headed back out into Derek’s room. The nurse had fled. Stiles couldn’t blame her; he was fairly certain he’d unconsciously punched her while writhing in pain. Speaking of pain, there was a growing anxiety blossoming behind his eyes that revolved around Derek being hurt and unmarked and _mate mate mate omega breed nest territory FUCK!_

“Stiles?” John’s steady voice stopped Stiles from trying to rip his own hair out, “Stiles, what happened, son?”

“I’m… I’m the alpha now,” Stiles panted, and then it hit him just what had happened and rage coursed through him, “FUCK! Derek, you _fucking jerk!_ I was supposed to be the first OMEGA president! You _asshole!”_

 


	7. Chapter 7

“It was so real,” Derek breathed, staring down at his hands.

It had been a week since Derek’s death on the operating table had released the Hale Alpha power and two days since it had finally entered Stiles’ body. That power was from a very old bloodline and it had been trying to escape to get to its intended heir while the staff kept Derek hovering on the edge of death. It had likely done more harm than good according to a druid they had called in to examine Derek.

“I’m so sorry,” Stiles gently stroked Derek’s hand, “I can’t imagine what it must have been like to wake up in another world with so much wrong with it.”

“This is… it’s not perfect here, but there… you were so damaged,” Derek told him, “And I can’t even imagine what I must have been like. A monster. A horrible, abusive beast who mated with his own _uncle_ and helped enslave an _entire town_?”

“Ew and double ew,” Stiles shook his head, “Stop thinking about it, Der. It’s over. You’re safe. It wasn’t real.”

“The kids really aren’t here?” Derek asked again, voice forlorn.

“No, honey,” Stiles tensed a bit, “No kids.”

Derek couldn’t let the kids go. Two children. Malia and a boy whose name he’d apparently never learned. He and Derek had never wanted kids. They’d joked about it. Stiles had put on a pregnancy belly outfit and they’d had kinky fake pregnancy sex. There was the urge every heat to impregnate Stiles- which would no longer exist now that Stiles was an alpha- but they’d known that the mental illnesses on both sides of their families was a no-go for them. Cora and Isaac had been willing to risk it to continue the Hale name, but Derek and Stiles hadn’t. Not with Stiles’ mom’s illness being so very frightening and Stiles wanting a career. Derek had told Stiles that if they ever really got the baby blues they’d adopt. Well. Stiles’ newly awakened alpha instincts were screaming at him to find the nearest baby and hand it _right_ over to Derek. Preferably on his teat. Fuck. Derek lactating. That was officially a kink Stiles had. Maybe some supplementary hormones could induce him to…

“Stiles,” Derek laughed lightly, “You’re humping me again.”

Stiles pulled back with a frustrated swear, unaware that he’d climbed halfway into the bed to grind against Derek’s thigh. He was struggling with the fact they couldn’t completely bond again until Derek was well enough. His insides had healed and most of his bones, but he still had a fractured femur and was covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises. At least he was at home now, or rather at John’s home in Stiles’ old bed.

“I’m sorry,” Stiles breathed, “How did you think past all these hormones? I swear, I can’t breathe without wanting to lick you all over!”

“Once I’m healed you can trigger my heat,” Derek told him for the millionth time, “Then you can re-claim me and I’ll be all yours.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Stiles babbled, pacing the room with a raging hard on that was _painful_ and intimidating to the owner, “But, birth control first, right?”

“Definitely,” Derek agreed, “I may be relieved to have my former body back, but I’m not about to get in a family way.”

Stiles let out a slow breath of relief.

“I wonder if my muscles will stay?” Derek mused, staring down at his body and flexing them, “My body changed _so much_ when I became an alpha. I used to be this skinny thing with barely any facial hair.”

“I like your facial hair,” Stiles said softly.

“I like your skinny body,” Derek replied, “I’ll miss my twink if you get built, but for the record I _worked_ for the larger muscles. I just got a six pack and some thicker arms out of the alpha deal. I doubt I’ll lose the facial hair. It’s sort of like… transitioning? If that makes sense? A transwoman doesn’t just _lose_ the hair. It’s easier to gain something than lose it.”

“Yeah… tell that to the hair on my head,” Stiles muttered, “I found out yesterday that I’m more likely to go bald as an alpha. I blame you if I lose my charisma.”

Derek smiled sadly, “We can switch it back. Peter knows the spell. Deaton can perform it.”

Stiles considered, “As much as I’d like to be the first omega in congress, I have to admit this will make things easier. I’ve got me some alpha privilege and I can use it to make omegas’ lives better. It feels right, too. I was always more drawn to alpha roles. Maybe ‘transition’ is the right term, huh?”

“Fuck you, I’ve still got a dick,” Derek replied dryly.

Stiles laughed lightly, but Derek had gone silent and thoughtful again.

“Derek?”

“It felt so _real_.”


End file.
